Studio: Arrow Video
Release Date: May 12th, 1972 (theatrical) / September 17th, 2019 (blu-ray)
Run Time: 94 mins
Region Code: A
Picture: 1080p (2.35:1 aspect ratio)
Sound: English LPCM Mono / Italian LPCM Mono
Subtitles: English SDH
Slipcover: No
Digital Copy: No
Starring: George Lazenby, Anita Strindberg, Adolfo Celi, Dominique Boschero, Peter Chatel, and Piero Vida
Written by Aldo Lado, Francesco Barilli, Massimo D'Avak, and Ruediger von Spies
Directed by Aldo Lado
Rating: Not Rated (bloody violence and nudity)
Note: This review contains screenshots from both the new Arrow Video blu-ray and the older Anchor Bay DVD.
Left = Arrow Video blu-ray
Right = Anchor Bay DVD
THE FILM ⭐⭐1/2
A young girl is brutally murdered somewhere in France. Sometime later, the same thing happens to the daughter of a well-known sculptor. This time the parents (the sculptor and his wife) start investigating and soon find they are in way over their head. Meanwhile, the body-count keeps rising as the killer now starts butchering all those who find out too much...
Who Saw Her Die? is an entertaining enough giallo that does the weird thing of focusing on the parents who lost a child more than the killer and the killings. We do get some kills, and they are handled with a lot of care and attention, but they are not the focus of the film. This will either come as a shock or as a relief depending on why you are watching the film. It is an interesting way to tackle a giallo but it doesn't always work. The film becomes too bogged down with the father trying to find his daughter's killer that the ex-wife at one point leaves because the father has become too obsessed with finding the killer, only for her to pop back up at the end because she was wrong to leave. This made me laugh as both reasons are just stupid.
The search for the killer is pretty well done although I was disappointed with the reveal of the killer as I had seen this before in another giallo released around the same time as this film. The kills, while not numerous, are very well done with the killer actually killing one person in front of a group of people and still getting away. The score from Ennio Morricone is just amazing, giving the film a really creepy vibe it would not have without this score.
Who Saw Her Die? works because director Aldo Lando tries a bunch of different things. Not all of them work but you can really appreciate the effort. I wish that the killer was someone else but it still works regardless. Check this out if you are a giallo fan or want to see something different.
THE PICTURE AND THE SOUND ⭐⭐⭐1/2 / ⭐⭐⭐1/2
 |
 |
Who Saw Her Die? is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and sourced from a brand new 2K scan. The results are great. A nice layer of film grain gives some nice detail all around. Colors are accurate and blacks are inky. This review contains screenshot comparisons with the old Anchor Bay DVD from 2002. Comparing this new edition to the older edition is like night and day. The picture on the Anchor Bay DVD is slightly windowboxed and is slightly zoomed in as well. There is also a piss-yellow filter over the whole film. I really hope that this filter was not supposed to be there because it makes the film feel sleazier than it actually is. Obviously, the winner is the new Arrow disc. I feel bad for fans who had to deal with the Anchor Bay DVD all these years.
A mono LPCM track, in both English and Italian options, is good. Dialogue sounds good but it the Morricone score that steals the show. At a few points during my viewing, I actually thought that there was someone in the room with me. That is how eerily great this score really is.
THE PACKAGING N/A
I was sent a check disc for this review so I can not review the packaging. There will be a reversible cover and booklet with writings about the film.
THE FEATURES ⭐⭐⭐1/2
Commentary by Troy Howarth
 |
 |
I Saw Her Die (56m 55s, HD) New interview with director Aldo Lado, recorded exclusively for Arrow Video in June 2019. In Italian with English subtitles.
 |
 |
Nicoletta, Child of Darkness (27m 26s, HD) A new interview with actress Nicoletta Elmi, recorded exclusively for Arrow Video in June 2019. In Italian with English subtitles.
 |
 |
Once Upon a Time...in Venice (31m 29s, HD) A new interview with co-writer Francesco Barilli, recorded exclusively for Arrow Video in June 2019. In Italian with English subtitles.
 |
 |
Giallo in Venice (26m 17s, HD) New video interview with author and critic Michael McKenzie, recorded exclusively for Arrow Video in June 2019. In Italian with English subtitles.
Image Gallery (11 images) Images courtesy of Peter Jilmstad
Italian Trailer (3m 13s, HD)
English Trailer (3m 13s, HD)
The overall features package is really nice here. I will admit that I did not watch all of the interviews with the cast and crew because they do talk about other films that they have worked on and I do not want them spoiled for me. What I did watch was really good. The interview with McKenzie is the best feature, in my opinion. He talks about a lot of things regarding Who Saw Her Die? as well as Lado’s previous film, Short Night of Glass Dolls, which is a film that I really like. McKenzie has appeared on many other Arrow blu-rays for films like Phenomena, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, and Deep Red. He also did a video essay on Synapse Films amazing blu-ray of Dario Argento’s Suspiria, so the guy knows a thing or two about the genre. I always find him informative and engaging.
OVERALL ⭐⭐⭐
 |
 |
Giallo fans will eat this edition of Who Saw Her Die?. The features package is very impressive and thorough, and the video and audio shine as well. Give the film a try if you haven't already. It is worth the watch.
MORE SCREENSHOTS
Left = Arrow Video blu-ray
Right = Anchor Bay DVD
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Blu-ray Review + Screenshot Comparison){kind=link}
0 Comments